Utterly strange memorials

[Lindorm]

German magazine Der Spiegel has published a very strange and interesting little photo-feature on their home page: A tour of ex-Yugoslav memorials from the Tito epoch.

Some are utterly bizarre -"UFO:s for dead heroes", others are actually strangely beautiful and compelling, and some are just crumbling heaps of concrete and rebar, having become memorials on yet another level.

The text is in german, but the pictures are universal:

http://einestages.spiegel.de/external/ShowTopicAlbumBackground/a22829/l0/l0/F.html#featuredEntry

[Opsa]

Wow, I love that giant winged eyeball! It makes me think of underground comix from the 1960's!

[pieces o nine]

Interesting slideshow!

I went through and tried mentally matching each monument to sculpture or architecture I have seen (or at least seen pictures of) from elsewhere in the world.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Most interesting.

At first glance, I'd call that: "A tribute to the creative potential of concrete"... 

Or, perhaps "A study of the abstract, as rendered in concrete and steel"

Some were reminiscent of war material, such as a nose-down rocket, or an oversized anti-shipping mine.   Some reminded me of quartz crystals, while some were simply variations of simple wall-less shelters.

All interesting, to be sure.

The first in the series reminded me of an Aztec headdress...

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Maybe it's because I spent the most part of a week watching ancient ruins but it makes me wonder what will archaeologists and anthropologists will interpret from those sculptures one thousand years from now, what deities will be found and what odd beliefs will be assigned. 

[Griffin NoName]

I wonder what they'll make of all the plastic bags floating in the sea. I think we are leaving future archaeologists a headache.

[Aggie]

I can only wonder what they'll make of all the beer bottles and golf balls - probably the two most likely things to sink in sediment and get preserved.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

I can only wonder what they'll make of all the beer bottles and golf balls - probably the two most likely things to sink in sediment and get preserved.

Clearly, there were highly volatile religious wars over the god's "Coke", "Pepsi", "Miller" and "Coors"...

[Swatopluk]

I wonder what they'll make of all the plastic bags floating in the sea. I think we are leaving future archaeologists a headache.

Those will have turned to microsopic shreds. It would actually be better if the wouldn't becasue in that form it will go up all the food chain with lethal results.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I can only wonder what they'll make of all the beer bottles and golf balls - probably the two most likely things to sink in sediment and get preserved.

That reminded me of this place in Malta where there are lots of rock balls around and nobody knows why or what was their function.

[Opsa]

Those guys were obviously having giant slot-car races.

[anthrobabe]

Maybe it's because I spent the most part of a week watching ancient ruins but it makes me wonder what will archaeologists and anthropologists will interpret from those sculptures one thousand years from now, what deities will be found and what odd beliefs will be assigned. 

Oh yeah baby--- that is a constant question we ask in current anth-- what will they think
one of my favorite takes on the issue is this
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/108831.Motel_of_the_Mysteries

Motel of the Mysteries

love it

[Aggie]

This isn't a set of memorials (houses instead), but it seemed to fit the thread:
http://www.househunting.ca/vancouversun/news/5365997/story.html

[Opsa]

One we've always found disturbing is the memorial to the Seabees near Arlington National Cemetery, which looks for all the world like a big, strong shirtless soldier about to beat the carp out of a little child. (See below)

"Wanna arm-wrestle, sonnyboy?"

[Swatopluk]

In the thumbnail size this at first looked to me like a medieval footsoldier trying to get his bent sword straight again.

I was thinking specifically about this type of helmet
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z2d4IxltHJI/TIElSetydiI/AAAAAAAADs4/chlC4j7iNDE/s400/alexander_nevsky_germanArmor.jpg
http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/__data/assets/image/0017/23903/smAlexander-Nevsky2.jpg

[Opsa]

Some friends of mine recently moved to Richmond, VA and reported this memorial to Arthur Ashe, which they describe as Ashe beating the living daylights out of some little schoolchildren.

[pieces o nine]

Well, this [monument] is destined for the "City of Presidents".
--[Not in situ  in this photo]--
It's been said that a picture is truly worth a thousand words; especially this picture...

[Swatopluk]

He obviuosly carried a dueling pistol in his right hand that someone stole (the way that arrows are stolen form archer statues).
The canine is clearly meant to symbolize the man being in a dogfight right now (he was a fighter pilot after all).

[pieces o nine]

I think it smacks more of this...    

Dubya   Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin!

Dick   I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.

Dubya   Nope, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them;
which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.

Enter Evil Enemy

Evil Enemy   Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Dubya   I do bite my thumb, sir.

Evil Enemy   Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Dubya    [Aside to Dick] Is the law of our side, if I say yep?

Dick    No.

Dubya   No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I
bite my thumb, sir.  Heh heh heh.